Back to the Beginning
by katmiester
Summary: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Tibby stays home and Carmen goes to South Carolina. Lena goes to Santorini, and Bridget goes to Baja. Past characters reappear, with some new ones. Please R&R! CHAPPIE 5 UP!
1. Prologue

A/N: Okay, I know there are a bunch of "fourth summers" out there, and a lot of them are really good. But I thought I'd post mine anyway. I've been working on it since the third book came out, but I didn't know until a couple of weeks ago that there was a section on ff.n for it. So here it goes…

THE FOURTH SUMMER OF THE SISTERHOOD: Prologue

"The wave of the future is coming and there is no stopping it." -Anna Morrow Lindbergh

You've probably heard of us. Or if you haven't, maybe you've heard about our Pants. They tend to precede us, sometimes, in a weird sort of way. If you know the story, you might as well skip this intro. I know how much I hate having to sit through intros that I don't need to hear. So I'll spare you.

If you haven't heard our story, though, you're going to be totally lost, so don't skip this just because you have a short attention span. That would be lame. But, hey, if you're one of those people who _like_ to be totally lost and confused (this happens if you skip prequels), go right ahead.

For those of you who care, I'm Bridget Vreeland, and it's _my_ turn to narrate the introduction of our fourth summer in the Pants (we only wear them in the summer, that way they are extra-powerful after about ten months of rest).

The Pants, in case you don't already know, have some pretty magical characteristics. For instance, they fit all four of us, and have an uncanny ability to tell whether or not you're being true to yourself, and sometimes even refuse to fit because of it (I've had this happen to me, and it's not fun).

But most of all, they keep us together.

It all started when Carmen found the Pants in a thrift shop at the beginning of our first summer apart. Actually, if you want to get technical about it, everything started one fateful summer almost nineteen years ago, at Gilda's gym in Bethesda during a session of prenatal aerobics. Our (rather large, at the time) mothers met there, and after another rather humid and unwieldy two months or so, they had us: Tibby, Lena, Carmen, and me. Well, and my twin brother, Perry, too, but he's not really part of the whole Pants-thing.

So basically, we've been wearing these magnificent Pants for the last three summers. Lots has happened since that first summer. We've made mistakes (me more than anyone, I think), fixed them, fallen in love (and been rejected), and had a great time. Most of all, though, we've grown closer. And that's thanks to the Pants.

The 'us' I'm referring to is us (obviously), the Sisterhood of the Pants: Tibby, Lena, Carmen, and me. A good, basic way to describe us would be coffee:

Lena would be a Chai tea, (okay, so it's not _exactly_ coffee, but who cares? You can totally get a Chai tea at Starbucks, so it counts. Right?) because she's (mostly) calm and sensible. She's usually the one who talks sense into one of us when we're spazzing out about something. Sometimes she's too calm and sensible for her own good, though. But Lena can be stubborn and determined, too, like when she ignored her father and went to Rhode Island School of Design, anyway. So she _can _come off kind of strong.

Carmen would be something unbearably stylish, like a mocha frappocino. That may seem slightly superficial (like somebody saying their favorite rock band is Nirvana), but in reality, it's genuinely good. Actually, Carmen had some issues last summer with the whole "superficial/genuine" thing when she met this guy named Winthrop (ha, ha), who turned out to be just as genuine and quirky as Carmen herself.

And Tibby would be a straight-up Americano. She's strong, and sometimes a little bitter. But she's still a classic, and just as likeable as any other. Besides, an Americano is perfect for things that anything mild just couldn't handle. I think that Tibby softened up last summer, though, between Brian (I mean, come on, we _all_ saw that one coming!) and Katherine falling out Tibby's window and fracturing her skull.

And me? I think I would be a latte with whole (not skim, thank you very much) milk, lots of whipped cream and, Tibby would insist, lots and lots of caffeine. Only, not as much as I would've had four summers ago. I like to think that I've grown up since then. Things have changed, mostly for the better. For me, soccer camp was a lot better the second time around, when I was coaching it, and despite all of my efforts, there were some uncanny similarities with the summer I spent in Baja. Eric made a surprising (but not a wholly undesirable) appearance, though with a _much_ better outcome than the last time.

Last summer was great: Tibby took the leap and got the guy (or Brian got her, more accurately), Carmen got a brother _and_ a guy, and I had a blast and got the guy. Lena got a scholarship, but all of us – Carmen, especially – have high hopes for her this summer. We all survived our freshman year of college, with all relationships (plus a few new ones) in tact. Maybe even better than before.

Frankly, all of this means that _this_ summer is sure to be the best, by a long shot.

A/N: Hope you liked it! Please review, this is the first real story I've ever posted here! I am in the middle of preparing for finals, but hopefully I will be able to update soon.


	2. Homecoming

**A/N: Well, here's my next chapter! Tomorrow Finals start (yikes!)...but I thought I'd take a study break: ) Special thanks to Riza-4789 for being my first reviewer! **

**Riza-4789:** Yay! My first-ever review response! Yipee! (srry, i'm a bit hyper, as you can tell!) So glad you liked it, here's some more! Thanks for your review!

**xsummerbabyx:** Thanks for your review! I'm glad it's one of your faves! btw, I love your fics!

**rock'n'rollbitch:** Bridget is my favorite, too. I love the Bridget/Eric thing, too, so expect to see a lot of that inhere. This is probably going to be mostly about Bridget (she's easiest for me to write), but I'm gonna work in some Carmen and Tibby, and I've got somestuff in mind for Lena, so you'lldefinately be seeing some of her, too. Thanks for your review.

**NeNa666:** Here's some more! Thanks for your review.

CHAPTER ONE: HOMECOMING

"Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much." –Helen Keller

Bridget ripped open a recently purchased package of extra-large bobby pins and slid one into the lock, jiggling it expertly. Carmen, Lena, and Tibby huddled behind her anxiously. The lock clicked, and they were in. Now the only thing that separated them from the aerobics studio where their pregnant mothers, as well as countless others, sweated it out was a customary race up a darkened staircase.

Traditionally, once they got up there (a considerable feat – Tibby would trip over Lena's feet, who would stumble all over Carmen, and they would all bump into Bee, who would be the first one up, but then stop dead in the doorway) they would spread out the goods: Tibby would lay out all her junk food, Lena would prepare the ambience (old blankets and candles, but still) and Carmen would play some dated music, while Bridget just messed around.

This time was no different. But instead of taking a leisurely amount of time gathering in a small, tight-knit circle, they all performed their tasks quickly. All four of them longed for the closeness they had missed during the school year, and quickly gathered together.

Carmen revealed the Pants dramatically, pulling them from her bag behind her and laying them out in the middle of their little ring. Reverently, Lena removed the slightly wrinkled Manifesto from the back pocket of the Pants, unfolded it neatly, and smoothed it out on the scuffed floorboards before passing it to Bridget.

Bee cleared her throat importantly before beginning. "We, the Sisterhood, hereby instate the following rules to govern the use of the Traveling Pants," she read. She glanced up at her three friends before ad-libbing, "For this, our fourth summer, which will, tragically, be spent apart." She continued passing the sheet of Gilda's stationary she had, years ago, swiped from the small office.

Tibby took it and read aloud the first two rules. "You must _never_, _ever_ wash the Pants. No matter what. Also, you must never double-cuff the Pants. Let's face it. It's tacky. And there will never be a time when this will not be tacky." Then just to mix things up, she passed it back to Bee, on her right.

"You must never say the word 'phat' while wearing the Pants. You must also never say, or even think, _Carmen_," Bridget continued, looking pointedly at her friend, " 'I am fat' while wearing the Pants." She passed it to Lena.

Lena read the fourth rule. "You must never let a boy take off the Pants. That means all three of you. The rule does state, however, than you may take them off yourself in his presence. But a general rule of thumb, you guys, just keep your Pants on." Carmen, Bridget, and Tibby smiled amusedly. Lena continued with the fifth. "You must not pick your nose while wearing the Pants. But you can scratch casually at your nostril while really kind of picking. This rule of social etiquette is courtesy of Tibberon."

"Upon our reunion," Carmen recited, "you must follow the proper procedures for documenting your time in the Pants, as suggested by Bee. And you must write to your Sisters _religiously_ throughout the summer –"

"Especially those stuck here, again," Tibby cut in.

"-no matter how much fun you are having without them," Carmen finished.

"You must not wear the Pants with a tucked-in shirt, and/or belt due to extreme tackiness. See rule number two for details," Tibby read. "Remember, Pants equal love."

She passed the sheet to Bee, who added, "Love your pals."

Lena finished, "And love yourself."

They let this sink in appropriately, and just looked at each other in the flickering candlelight, savoring this temporary togetherness. Then they laughed, and ate, and laughed, and ate some more, reliving past summers (the good parts, at least) and exploits and discussing this summer's plans, all the while managing to avoid the topic of their summer separation and, worse yet, the inevitable parting at the beginning of this next school year.

For now, it didn't matter. They could stay here as late (or as early, as the case may be) as they wanted. As was previously decided, this time was for the Septembers only. Boyfriends, they all agreed, were to be entirely neglected (well, taking phone calls was admissible) for the next few days in favor of their own friendship. This seemed fair.

They decided that the Pants would go first to Carmen, then Bridget, who would pass them onto Tibby, and finally Lena. After that, they would bounce back to Carmen, then Tibby, then Bridget, and Lena again.

The four of them spread the Pants out in center of the circle, to admire them. With her finger, Bridget traced the words she had written in the years before. 'Baja, California.' Bee regretted much of what had happened there, but a lot had changed since then. Now she was going back. 'Learning about my mother.' That brought her back to where she was now. 'Love & Sick.' It seemed fitting, considering the end of last summer. 'Starting over'. This was even more appropriate. 'Soccer field.' At least that much had stayed the same.

Carmen decided it was time to be ceremonial again. "So this is the beginning," she said, in her special voice. "Bee will go off and face her demons in Baja. Lenny will be nurturing all her artistic talent with Annik. Tibby will stay here, too, and work on filming. And I…I am going to do something. I just don't know what. So let the fourth summer of the Pants begin."

**A/N: There you go! Now I really have to go study (I'm serious, this time, I swear!)! Please review...you know you can't resist. And I promise to faithfully respond to all of reviews, cuz I love them all: ) I'll try to update soon, but the earliest I'm able will probably be around Wednesday, (cuz I get out for the summeron Tuesday! yay!)**


	3. Back to the Beginning

**A/N: Here's the third addition da story! I'm kinda likin' it so far...AND GUESS WHAT? I have a BUNCH of reviews! I -heart- you guys! Thank you so much!**

**xsummerbabyx:** thanx, I hope I do well, too...: ) congrats on your scores! don't worry. I promise not to attack you w/ a pitchfork! But I will miss your updates...But I can totally understand..I'm gonna be gone for a lot of the summer, myself...

**PrincessMia737: **Glad you like it. Don't worry, you'll see Kostos. In fact, this chappie discusses him a bit...Who knows? I may (as in, probably will) bring him back. There wasn't a lot of closure w/ him...yeah..so thanks for da review. if you have anyotherquestions, just ask...: )

**LucyKevinfan: **thanx for the review!

**JesskaLovesYou: **thanx...i hope you like this chappie just as much!

**BellaLou: **I'm glad you like the story. Do you know of any other sites that do Sisterhood fics? I'd really like to read some other ones! Thanx for the review!

**ghandigirlrock: **thank you! I try! Here's the study break (I needed one! Only one more day of finals! Yay!)

**Hillton: **I'm thrilled you like this. Also, I'm really happy to hear some feedback about my ideas. I always worry that with all the other 4th summer fics out, mine doesn't stick out...or doesn't seem original..or whateva...so thank you! You have some really great stuff out yourself. I think I've read about all of it. Keep it up! (please continue w/ the Only One...it's soo good!)

**melodie568: **hope you continue to enjoy it!

CHAPTER TWO: BACK TO THE BEGINNING

_"So get back, back, back to where we lasted,_

_Just like I imagined,_

_I could never feel this way._

_Get back, back, back to the disaster_

_My heart's beating faster,_

_Holding on to feel the same."_

_-Sugarcult_

"They're sending me back!" Lena exclaimed into the phone as soon as Carmen answered.

"Lenny?" Carmen asked. This outburst both concerned and surprised her, especially coming from Lena. "Who's sending you where?"

"My parents!" Lena was in near hysterics on the other end. "They're sending me back to Santorini!"

For just about anyone else in the world, a trip to the beautiful and remote Greek island of Santorini would be a dream. But for Lena, Carmen knew, this was a very, very bad thing. A very bad thing. "What? Why?"

"My parents don't like the idea of Valia living all alone. So they're sending me and Effie again," Lena explained distraughtly.

"Well, _he's _not going to be there, is he?" Carmen asked.

"I don't know." Lena was close to panicking. "I don't know. Maybe. I don't know. I try not to listen to these things."

"Carma?"

"Yeah?"

"Carma," Lena whimpered, "What am I going to do?"

"Hang on." Carmen reassured her. "I'm coming."

* * *

In order to be here, painting her toe nails in a staff cabin at the place Tibby laughingly called El Campo, Bridget had braved the same two early flights and disorienting van ride as she had two years before. But now she was here, and with no regrets. 

"So," Diana said, applying another coat of polish to her toe nails, "You seem awfully happy."

"God, you have _no_ idea," Bee agreed, wiggling her newly turquoise toenails.

"All Eric, huh?"

"Oh, definitely," Bridget agreed, "But it's not just him. I love Brown, I love my team, and I'm glad to be back here, not hating myself."

"I'm glad, too. It is kind of ironic, in a good way, you know?" Diana said, reflectively, "You and Eric, back here, but so differently. It's like, good karma." Carmen had told Bridget the exact same thing before she left for camp.

"Have you met the other coaches yet?" Diana asked, half conversationally and half teasingly.

"Very funny," Bee said. "But somehow I don't think that there's anyone here I know."

"Maybe not," Diana laughed. "But there is this one guy who has these absolutely _gorgeous_ green eyes. He seems pretty nice, I only talked to him briefly, though."

Bridget got up off the cabin floor and brushed off her shorts. "We should probably get going. We have a coaches meeting in a couple of minutes."

"Please." Diana rolled her eyes, but allowed Bridget to grab her arms and pull her to her feet. "You're just excited to see your boyfriend."

"So what if I am?" Bridget challenged, grinning, before sliding on a pair of Adidas flip-flops and heading out the door of the cabin, dragging Diana behind her.

Outside, Bridget was once again filled with the infectious vibe of Baja California. She felt her muscles crackle with the familiar buzz of energy. Brilliant rays of sun bounced off the turquoise water and glinted in Bee's hair. In that instant, Bridget was struck with the same feelings of intensity and spontaneity that she had possessed years before. A dangerous combination, she knew now. Yet, it was not always a bad thing in small quantities. And this place was magical, and today, right here, it all seemed to fit.

* * *

Lena had hated the idea of returning to Greece. This was possible in Bethesda. It was much easier, Lena found, to hate the world while staying comfortably in your own hometown than it was to hate the world when you're out in it. So Lena was quite successful in hating the idea of returning to Santorini while she was at home, packing. She hated it all the way to the airport, and while she boarded the plane. 

As the plane began its ascent, Lena remained as excited as she would have been for a complimentary shuttle ride to her own personal hell. Which, as far as she was concerned, Oia was. But her hatred ebbed, much to her displeasure, as the plane began its descent, and Lena looked upon the gleaming Mediterranean stretching out below her.

She could never hate this place, Lena realized with a pang, as she walked along the cobblestone road. She passed the rounded, whitewashed buildings with their gorgeous blue trim, past the modest tourist shops, and the grizzled little old man selling pistachios right out of the burlap sacks on the back of his fuzzy white donkey. Try as she might, she couldn't help but imagine Kostos, breathing this same Grecian air and standing – maybe not as far off as she believed – on this very same island, this same piece of jagged, rocky crater edge rising out of the sapphire sea.

* * *

_Lenny-_

_I hope you find this soon. Letters take too long to send, and I wanted to be with you now. Don't torment yourself over there, because we all love you too much. Remember that we're all with you, even when we're not. We're all here in the US, loving you way out in Greece._

_Endless Xs and Os,_

_Carmen_

* * *

Tibby was beginning to see a pattern, here. In all of the years of the pants (okay, so only four), this would be her third staying at home. Still, three out of four summers doing nothing is _not _a good average. She considered this dismally as she fanned a handful of playing cards in front of her, "Go fish. Got any twos?" 

"Go fish," Nicky said loudly. Currently unemployed, Tibby had the luxury (or the curse, whichever term one preferred) of having no commitments, and nothing to do. Which reduced her social schedule to playing endless, ridiculous games with her younger siblings.

Do have any fives? Any fives, Brian?" Katherine wheedled.

"You're in luck, Kitty-Kat," Brian said, sliding the five of diamonds across the table and towards the four-year-old. Katherine piled her fives in front of her and beamed triumphantly. Of course, Brian was around. That's what Tibby loved about Brian. He was always around.

* * *

_Bee- _

_I imagine you're having way too much fun in Baja. I hope you are. Meanwhile, I'm stranded here, yet again. My relaxing schedule so far today has included three games of war, six games of Go Fish, and four games of some sort of preschool rendition of Indian Poker. Yes, Nicky and Katherine have discovered the joy of monotonous card games._

_While you're tearing up some soccer field in Baja with Eric and Diana, I'll be here, missing you. So please call me. And Beezy: Take it easy on the country of Mexico._

_Love, Love, Love,_

_The (somewhat) Isolated Tibberon_

* * *

Not much had changed in the last few years, Bridget quickly discovered. She was glad for that. The bougainvillea-draped cafeteria and deck stood within view of the beach, and the slowly waning sun beyond it. So they were early for whatever staff meeting was scheduled. One or two other coaches sat stretched out on the long benches that lined the tables, but that was all. The whole staff meeting struck Bridget as odd, anyway. Several coaches had yet to arrive. She leaned against a flower-entwined railing and admired her surroundings. 

"It really is beautiful here," she told Diana, "That part I didn't exaggerate in my mind."

"Yeah," Diana agreed. They considered this for a moment. "Hey!" Diana burst. "Do you know what we have to do?"

"What?" Bridget felt a smile spreading across her face.

"Hotel Hacienda!" Diana said loudly and dramatically. "We absolutely _have _to go!" Bridget grinned, but before she could agree, she felt a tug on a lock of blonde hair, and knew exactly who stood behind her.

"Eric!" She turned around beaming, about ready to throw her arms around him. The smile dropped from her face. But it wasn't Eric.

It was Billy.

Bridget searched for words.

"I don't think anyone's been that horrified to see me in a long time," Billy made light of the situation, after several awkward moments had passed.

"Wow." Bridget was still trying to sort through it all in her mind. Actually, it took her a second or two to recognize him. To Bridget, Billy Kline existed solely within the world of Burgess, Alabama. She hadn't even tried picturing him anywhere else. It was funny how that is with some people. "Um. Hi, Billy. I, uh, didn't think you'd be here. I'm just sort of surprised." It was totally ironic, in a completely pathetic way. Why couldn't she ever just read the damned papers? What was wrong with her? It's not like she would've avoided coaching at the camp if she'd known, but it would've been nice to avoid this particular surprise. And she would've hoped that, even though last summer turned out to be great, she would've figured out that informational packets are _good_ things. Apparently not.

"So, who's Eric?" Billy asked curiously.

"I'm Eric," Eric cut in, appearing out of nowhere, before Bridget could say anything. _Perfect timing,_ Bridget thought. He slipped an arm around her. "Who are you?"

"I'm Billy. Billy Kline," Billy replied, extending a hand. Eric shook it. His brows furrowed as he surveyed Billy with a look of confusion and calculation.

"Well," Bridget said, trying to be as tactful as possible, "It's nice seeing you again, Billy. I guess I'll see you later."

"Yeah, I'll see you around," Billy did a poor job of hiding his disappointment.

Bee could feel Billy's eyes on her as she and Eric moved to the other side of the deck. "I missed you," Bridget said, leaning up for a brief kiss before Eric could respond.

He kissed her back. "I missed you, too."

Diana appeared at Bridget's side. "Did you _see_ him? Those green eyes are gorgeous. What's his name, again?"

"Billy Kline," Bridget responded dryly, "He's from Burgess, Alabama."

"Whoa. Blast from the past, huh?" Diana observed.

"Yeah, just a little bit," Bridget said sarcastically. At that moment, Connie appeared on the deck, and all the coaches congregated around one of the tables for the meeting.

**A/N: Hey, hey! Here's the result of a study break... : )! And I kinda like it! I have a really good feeling about the nextcouple of chappies! I'mHyper! SCHOOL GETS OUT TOMORROW! YAY!**

**Review! Please! If you do, I will give you COOKIES! Well, maybe not...But still, REVIEW PLEASE!**


	4. Life As We Know It

**A/N: You guys are AMAZING! I got 13or 14reviews in less than 24 hours! That's a new record for me! You guys are the best! As promised, I have faithfully replied to each and every one of you. You deserve it! I also took the liberty of picking "Star Reviewers" (( corny, maybe, but Ikinda like it.. : )...)). Or, basically, the reviewers that I felt left particularly funny or rewarding or nice or special or interesting feedback. I picked 2 for this chapter, but I LOVE YOU ALL! So the "Star Reviewers" for BACK TO THE BEGINNING are Avra5 and maggieferran. You rock my socks!**

**maggieferran**: Thank you so much! I think this is one of the best reviews I've ever received!

I'm flattered that you think I have the style and tone of Ann Brashares! I try to sound like her when I'm writing this fic, and I'm thrilled you

think I'm successful! When I put the girls back to their original spots, I wasn't sure how it was going to play out…after all,

they changed so much. Then I realized that was actually going to be the point…LOL! I really tried hard to write an original prologue,

thank you so much for the feedback on that! I try not to rush too much, but some times I get ideas and just lose control –

I'm sure you know how it is! Or, I can't come up with stuff to put between my ideas. You seem to be very aware of Ann

Brashares' writing style and practices. I would really appreciate more feedback from you and any suggestions you have!

Thanks again for the great review! (Wow..um..why is my computer doing this weird spacey thing when I try to edit my document...)

**Avra 5: **Wow! I think that your review is one of the best I've ever gotten. I'm so flattered. I really try to imitate Ann Brashare's writing (I guess that's kind of the point of fanfics, though!) Thanks for the good thoughts for my finals – I finished them on Tuesday! Yipee! Anyway, thanks for the feedback on the rushing part – I really appreciate it. I try not to rush, but sometimes my ideas get run away with me, or I can't figure out what to put between my ideas. Is fluff okay? I would really like to hear back from you on that. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**spacegrace:**Lena's issues are going to be a focal point for this fic, so I'm glad you like it. And as for Kostos…well…you have to admit, it would be fun/convenient to hear now, but it would make it less fun to actually read each chapter (I know, I hate it when authors tell me that…)

**xoXOCutieOXox**: I'm glad you're so enthusiastic! Here you go…

**cpaa: **I have mixed feelings about Billy, myself. But I'm glad you're so excited to see him so up! (Now I just need to figure out exactly what to do with him…)

**dancerrdw: **I'm glad you like this. I will try to update soon, but I'm going away soon, so unfortunately I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update. See my pf for more info.

**private:** I will certainly try to make this fic fulfill its potential. I'm excited to see how everything plays out too – I'm not quite sure what will happen myself! I agree: Bee and Eric are adorable together. I'm so glad Ann Brashares put them together in the 3rd Book! (I hope you don't mind reading fluff, 'cuz I love to write it!)

**Riza-4789: **I hope you like this next chapter just as much!

**sunshine**: I'm glad you love it! Bridget is my favorite character, too. I feel that I have a lot in common with that character (well, her personality, at least. Not the part about sleeping with a soccer coach or her mom dying…at least, I can relate with her well…) so she's easiest for me to write. I guess that means you'll be seeing a lot of her!

**iluvgerardbutler**: Don't worry, I'll keep going! BTW, I've been wondering: who exactly _is _Gerard Butler?

**JesskaLovesYou:** I love Bridget and Eric, too! I wonder what Billy has in store for them?

**Quicksilver19**: Glad you like it! I love the Eric/Bee pairing, too! Expect to see a lot of fluff! I'll try to do some stuff for Tibby and Brian, too, if you'd like. For some reason, though, I have issues writing from Tibby's POV. I don't understand why that is, though. She and Bridget are my favorite (I love all the characters, tho!), but I just can't seem to get a strong handle on Tibby. But I'll do what I can!

**Tricia:** I kinda like the love triangle myself...let's just see where it goes...

**THANKS AGAIN FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! YOU REALLY MAKE IT WORTH WHILE!**

* * *

CHAPTER THREE: LIFE AS WE KNOW IT "My life is a toad." -Tasha Bylenok 

Bee found it rather difficult to concentrate on yet another over-simplified and excessively lengthy orientation lecture. Bee's personal opinion was that once you've heard one, you've heard them all. All of them said the same things anyway, regardless of the slightly different atmospheres. There was the introduction, of course, which remained the same almost word for word between the camps: Welcome to (fill-in-the-blank)! We're honored to have you join us this year, and we all need to work together to make the summer of (insert current year) the best ever, and on and on.

She felt Eric's eyes flick onto her, though she did not make eye contact, during the part of Connie's lecture that emphasized the stringent no-fraternization policy. Next, Connie outlined the set of rules governing the campers. No harassment, no obscenities, blah, blah, blah, and absolutely no unauthorized "excursions" off campgrounds. Diana and Bridget exchanged knowing looks, suppressing grins.

* * *

Drawing helped Lena to think. Or, rather, it helped her not to think. Something that, frankly, Lena often preferred. The great thing about drawing was that she could escape into her own mind, leaving the somewhat disappointing temporal world far behind her as she made her own rendition of it in charcoal. _It's so much simpler this way_, Lena mused as she sketched the giant staircase that traversed the steep, rocky edges of Santorini, leading up to the city of Oia from the ocean. 

Lena held a higher vantage point, sitting on the roof terrace of a light yellow restaurant boasting trim of the same blue hue as the Mediterranean Sea far below. She observed the donkeys following the staircase that traversed the cliffside, wearing makeshift saddles and no bridles, and bearing overzealous tourists towards the city. But her mind was distant and far, far, away, maybe even somewhere beyond the radiant water and its subtle white caps, stretching as far as she could see.

She snapped herself out of her reverie when she noticed, with some irritation, that the fictional man she had sketched leaning thoughtfully against the low wall on one side of the stairs bore an excruciating resemblance to Kostos. He hadn't started out that way. Emitting a disgusted sound, Lena swiped destructively across the page, smearing the entire sketch before slamming the notebook closed. She tossed a handful of Euros on the table to cover the cost of her iced tea, and left.

* * *

_Dear Carma, _

_I don't know how I feel about this place anymore. I came here hating and dreading it. But I don't hate it. I kind of love it here. Still, I can't shake the feeling that I'm missing something, and that I'm searching for something here. And I am. But I don't want to find it. Only really, it's all I've been hoping and praying for since I lost it. Well, give Ryan a kiss for me, and tell Paul I say Hi. _  
_Very Mixed Up, __Lena_

* * *

Carmen looked at her brother with wonder. He sat contentedly on his blanket, sucking on the corner of a block. The corner, it seemed, was the only part he could maneuver into his mouth. But that didn't appear to bother him. Why couldn't life be this simple for everyone? 

Well, maybe not _this_ simple. But why did everything have to be so complicated. She weighed all the privileges adults got compared to, say, ten month olds. But really, in the end, who was happier? Ryan removed the block from his mouth, and giggled happily when he formed a spit bubble between his lips. _Case in point_, Carmen thought as she wiped up her brother's drool with the bib around his neck.

She worried about Lena. She worried about all of her friends, actually, at some point or another. Usually Bee occupied the foremost part of this particular compartment in Carmen's brain, but right now it was Lena. Poor Lena. She really had been through a lot when it came to love. So had Bee. Tibby, and even Carmen herself, had too, but on a much lesser scale than their two friends.

Right now, though, Lena was going through the worst of it, out in Greece, where Kostos the Heartbreaker lived, and presumably thrived, with his wife, and maybe even his conceived-out-of-wedlock-while-sleeping-with-someone-he-didn't-even-like child. Of course, it wasn't the baby's fault. She knew this. Carmen was just bitter, bias, and not entirely informed. In fact, Carmen didn't even know whether or not this kid even existed. It was, at this point, completely presumptuous and theoretical.

Regardless of the baby's existence, Lena wasn't herself. Her predictability had gone down the tubes. Hopefully, that wouldn't be a problem. After all, Lena had purposely made herself so in-attuned to all Valia had to say about Kostos that she didn't even know whether or not he was still living in that country at all!

But if she _was_ to see Kostos, Carmen had no way of knowing what Lena's reaction would be. As far as connections went, post wasn't a very strong one, and it could be over a week, literally, before any of them received any word regarding Lena's well being. And Carmen had to wonder, if something was to happen with Lena, what would they do about it? What _could_ they do about it?

* * *

Bridget knew she had to talk to both Eric and Billy, and preferably sooner rather than later. She made this executive decision (it wasn't that hard to make, really – it seemed to be the only logical course of action) on the way to the main deck for breakfast. Eric, of course, was to be her first priority. She was still thinking about this when Diana caught up with her, barefoot and practically skipping, cheerfully swinging her flip-flops in one hand. 

"Today's the day, today's the day!" She sang enthusiastically.

"The day for what, exactly?" Bridget asked, smiling back. Diana's enthusiasm was catching, especially for Bee, even at pensive times like these.

Diana looked at Bee as if she was brain dead. "You don't remember?"

Bee shook her head. She couldn't think of anything that warranted this extreme amount of pleasure. "Nope. Educate me," she prompted.

"I can't believe you don't remember!" Diana exclaimed. "The campers come today! We get our teams today!"

"Oh, yeah!" Bridget caught on. This was exciting. "Right after breakfast, right?" She could barely contain herself as she climbed the two stairs to the deck.

"Uh-huh. Right around ten," Diana had a little extra bounce in her step, too. They made their way towards the buffet table, and then found seats right across from Eric. He looked up from buttering his toast as Bridget and Diana sat down, both grinning.

" 'Morning," he greeted them.

"Good morning," Bridget responded happily, ripping open a mini box of Frosted Flakes and emptying it into her bowl. She poured most of a little carton of milk over it.

"What're you two so excited about?" Eric asked before taking a bite of toast.

"Teams!" Diana exclaimed. "Campers! I can't wait!"

"Me neither!" Bridget agreed eagerly. "This is going to be the best!" Eric smiled amusedly at their anticipation. "What?" Bridget asked. "Aren't you excited?"

He shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. Apparently not as excited about it as the two of you."

"All I can say about it," Diana said, "Is that this year, my team is going to just slaughter both of your teams."

Bridget refilled her bowl with another box of cereal and more milk. "Oh, that's awfully confident, coming from someone who couldn't seem to pull it out last summer," she teased.

"Just wait," Diana said, teasing back.

"What's the big deal?" Eric asked, joining in. "You're just arguing over _second_ place."

"What!" Diana objected. "I don't think so."

"I _am_ the most experienced coach and player here, after all," Eric continued.

"Do I need to remind you what happened last year, Eric?" Bee jibed at him playfully.

"She's got a point," Diana admitted. "But that doesn't really change the fact that my team _will_ be the best."

"Not likely." Eric responded.

"Not likely for either of you, you mean," Bridget said.

"God, Bee!" Diana exclaimed. "How many of those little boxes are you going to eat?"

Bridget grinned. She was currently in the process of opening her fourth box. "I fully intend to eat until I am no longer hungry, Diana, as mind-boggling as that concept may seem." Diana laughed and peeled her banana.

The rest of the morning passed quickly, between the ongoing playful banter and last minute preparations for the campers. Everyone, it seemed to Bridget, had a little more energy than usual.

Finally, the brightly painted bus **((A/N: Ha! Actually, I took that from the movie. I actually thought it was pretty good…except for the whole Eric-showing-up-at-Bridget's-house thing. That was lame. So was Eric's blondness...****Aside from that and the Lena/Kostos thing, I was surprised at how accurate it was. What'd you guys think?))** rumbled under the rustic archway marking the entrance to the camp.

As soon as it parked, girls spilled from its doors, just as happy to be there as Bridget had been. Eric was already opening the back doors of the bus, and other coaches were helping to unload. Some guy really tall and wild guy with dreads – Bridget was pretty sure his name was Kurt – was unloading the luggage piled on top of the bus, too, and passing it down to coaches beneath him. Bridget joined in, and within moments the bus was empty, all the campers had located their bags, and were assembled by one of the fields to be assigned to teams.

As it was, the coaches didn't even know what the team assignments were, not even who their assistant coach was. Bridget was anxious to find out, and was even more anxious to start practicing. Of course, that wouldn't even be on the agenda until the next day. After all, there was camper orientation. This was sure to be, if possible, even more boring than the staff orientation. She had always hated things like this. Bee was the type of person who never read the manuals to computer software or appliances or anything. She jumped straight into it, and figured it out as she went. She was still considering this when Shannon Cross, the new camp director, blew her whistle for attention.

The campers stopped chattering and looked forward attentively, shifting their bags at their feet, and the coaches took their places on either side of Shannon. She had a loud, projecting voice that carried well over the large group.

After a brief welcome speech and cabin assignments, Shannon started announcing the teams. "Team One, coached by Eric Richman-" Eric stepped forward, and received a hearty cheer from the teenage girls before the director went on, "-assisted by Bryan Travers, will wear blue, and consists of Andreas, Mikki, Breault, Kelly…" Bridget watched as each girl came forward to receive their team shirts, each looking very happy, presumably with their coach. And there were more than a few girls in the crowd looked disappointed that they hadn't been picked. Shannon accompanied the assignments with a little blurb about Eric's experience, emphasizing his impressive statistics from his years at Columbia, and his future position on a pro-team and possibly even the U.S. Team.

Team Two was Diana's. She was tossed her green t-shirts, along with Kristin Gaines, a bubbly assistant coach Bee had been hoping to get. "Team Three will wear red. Bridget Vreeland, a former camper here, will be the head coach. Two years ago, Bridget was recognized as an All-American, and now plays for Brown University. She has been singled out as one of the best young players in the country, and the coach of the U.S. Women's Team has already taken a good look at her for a potential spot on the team for the 2012 Games, at the latest." Bridget heard whispers of admiration, and knew her stock had just gone up, as far as the girls were concerned. Personally, Bridget felt like a show horse advertised in the classifieds a girl in her dorm was always reading ("16.4 hands high, great conformation, good temperament, has shown and placed!").

"This team will consist of Cox, Michelle, Halpin, Brianne, Rosellini, Camilla, Rolph, Bronwyn, Strand, Kira…" Bridget doled out the red shirts as the girls came forward. She was satisfied to see that they all appeared extremely athletic and coordinated, but then again, most of them did. "Oh, yes," Shannon added, "Bridget will be assisted by Billy Kline, who will also be a sophomore next year at UVA."

_Shit_. Bridget wasn't too surprised, but all the same: _Shit_. She snuck a subtle look at Eric, just a peek out of the corner of her eye. He looked less than thrilled about the prospect. Diana, on Bee's other side, met her eyes with a look of surprise. Bridget had related the entire fiasco to her in the cabin the night before. Billy looked unfazed. Well, at least someone was.

* * *

_Dear Tibby,_

_I was having fun. Or, I am having fun. Or, I will be having fun. Whatever. Fun all around. Well, mostly. Guess who showed up? Billy Kline. Yes, the hick. But no, he's not a hick. So he's from Alabama? That doesn't automatically make him a hick. But whatever you want to call him, he's here. At soccer camp. And he's my assistant coach. Why do guys from my past keep popping up at soccer camp? It feels like a freaking soap opera. And why am I incapable of reading the all the little papers sent out by my employer? WHY?_

_This was supposed to be the summer where I relax and play soccer with Diana and Eric. This is not supposed to be the summer where I meet this guy who used to be some past-summer crush and juggle him and my boyfriend at the same time. It's not supposed to be that kind of summer! It's not!_

_I have this really conceited theory that he maybe-perhaps-might-have come to this camp because (here's the conceited part) he thought I would be here…single…I'm telling you this because you always love me past my conceitedness and bad judgment._

_Anyway, I'm doing fine. Eric and Diana are doing fine. We're all doing more than fine, actually. Billy's under control. It'll be fine. I hope. Yes, it will. _

_I really hope you will be fine, Tibs. I think about you all the time way out here. You should have fun, too. I'll try to call you soon. _

_All Love, All the Time,_

_Beezy_

* * *

**A/N: So there you are. How was that?Let me know!I was gonna say that the next chapter would be a biggie, but I don't know anymore. I got some really great reviews (see the first two I replied to, if you wanna know what I'm talking about) that suggested I slow down a bit instead of rushing through the plot. So I think I will. But I definately will continue to update, so don't worry about that! However, I'm going to be going away within the next couple of days, and I'll be gone for a couple of weeks...And I'm totally afraid I'll loose all of my reviewers! AHHHH! Please don't leave me! Plus, I would really love it if you would all please (puh-lease?) review this chapter! I swear to reply to you all...criticism, questions, comments, anything...even flames...Have a great summer you guys (mine just started! YAY!)**


	5. Spinning Out

**A/N: First of all, I'd like to apologize for the long wait for the update. I'll list several excuses in my concluding A/N. Second of all, I would like to say that you guys are the greatest: over 50 reviews! That's so cool! Thirdly, here's some stuff on this chappie: This is the first really sort of serious chappie that deals with the problems the girls will face. Well, Lena and Bee, at least. **

**I was getting some comments that I was sort of rushing my plot, so I was going to make a few really short chapters between 'Life' and this one, but I decided against it because I was gone so long. I did, however, compile some of the ideas I had for the other chapters into this one, so it's REALLY long. So I hope you'll all forgive me. : )**

**AND IF YOU LIKE TIBBY&BRIAN AND/OR CARMEN&WIN: I am so, so, so, so sorry. I am seriously not trying to write them out of the story. I know they are part of canon, and I think they are great characters. In fact, I love reading them. But unfortunately, I have absolutely NO inspiration. I have no idea where I'm gonna go with them (I have, however, included them in this chapter, even though it is almost entirely pointless). But I will include some fluff for them (if I can) as it is, but I'm going to need some suggestions for character plotlines if you guys want to see more of them. Sorry!**

**jellybeanBliss**- I'm really glad you like the story and, as always, appreciate the feedback on my writing style. I have heard from several people that they find my style extremely similar to that of Ann Brashares, and I have heard varying opinions on this matter. There seem to be two schools of thought on author imitation in fanfics: 1) Fanfiction is a way to explore different writing styles, and fic authors _should_ try to imitate their choice author to the best of their ability 2) Fanfiction is a means to explore one's individuality, and adaptations of stories _should not_ be styled in the original author's form, but in one's own writing style. I think that these are both good ideas, and I have read and enjoyed stories written in both ways. However, I do tend to favor the first method in my own writing. At least for this particular fic. I do plan to put some more original stuff in here, and I definitely plan to do more original ficlets and one-shots in the future. Thank you so much for your review, I hope you keep reading!

**ocRM4eva**- I'm thrilled you love it! Expect to see a _lot_ more of Bridget, even though I'm not exactly sure where I'm gonna go. I have a more solid idea about Lena, so expect to see her story heating up a bit, too, though she probably won't play as central a role in this story as Bridget. And as for not being able to wait to see what's going to happen…Well, _I _don't even know what's going to happen yet! If you have any ideas, feel free to let me know! Thank you so much for your review, it's reviews like this that motivate me to keep it up!

**Cassy**- I'm so glad you like Bridget! I'm really happy to see that she's such a popular character, since she's going to be _everywhere_ in this fic! She is, in my opinion, definitely the most interesting of the four. I try to keep up with my updates, but you know how it can get…besides, I'm out of town a lot this summer, and I have a day job. If you add on top of all that the writers' block that comes with writing a story, then it can get pretty tough to update as much as I'd like. I love to hear back about my story, and I'm especially glad to hear that you think I write like Ann Brashares. She is one of my favorite authors, so that is a huge compliment, and I never tire of hearing it! Thank you so much! Please keep reading, reviewing and, most importantly, enjoying this story!

**SandEforever** – I have serious writer's block issues when it comes to Tibby…I just can't seem to get into her character. I have, however, been getting some other requests for more of her and Brian, so I will do what I can. Here's the next update, I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for the review!

**C U soon **– Your review is so flattering and complimentary! I love it! Reviews like this are very rewarding! I am thrilled to hear that this is becoming one of your favorites. Hopefully you will continue feeling that way. Also, it's very nice to be appreciated for my long updates – I do my best! I hope this update is satisfying, sorry it took so long! Thanks again for a great review!

**katryna1** – Your review kept me going when I was writing the fifth chapter! I am so flattered that you think my 'Fourth Summer' fic is the best you've read! I really try to make the events seem like things Ann Brashares would include in her novels and keeping the characters true to books is extremely important to me, so I really appreciate hearing such great positive feedback on that. I hope you enjoy this next bit. And as for the Bridget/Eric fluff…if that's what you're looking for, than I think you may enjoy what's to come…

**darkchocolateimpatience – **Oooh! Europe? Lucky! How was it? Where'd you go? I wish I was going to Europe…I went last summer with my grandparents and had a blast! Where are you going? I was fortunate enough to be able to hit some of Italy's best cities, Spain (for a few hours, at least), Greece, England, and Croatia. Croatia was gorgeous! My favorite place, though, was Santorini. I was actually in Oia, the city where Lena visited her grandparents in the book, and it is even more beautiful than it is described in the books. I hope you were able to get there. I'm sorry I didn't update before you left – I was already out of town – but I hope you like the fifth chappie!

**Madelynne Rabb** – I'm very glad you found and reviewed my story. I'm especially glad that you enjoyed it! I am also thrilled that you think I sound like Ann Brashares – I try my best! I can't wait to see what the Pants have in store for the girls, either. It might sound weird, but I have almost no idea where I'm going with this…Although I think I know how I want each of the characters to wind up…Which is sort of bizarre and inconsistent, now that I think about it. Thanks again for the review!

**hallobuggy **– Thank you so much! I'm glad you think this is so good! And about the movie: I thought that Bee was too accepting and resolved in the end about what happened with Eric. And that sucks, because it's totally unaccurate. Sure, she doesn't really crash until the fall, but she's not so okay with it as she seems in the movie. But then I also realized that they wanted to give the movie a more closed, upbeat ending, so they might not be setting up for a sequel, or anything. So I guess that works it the movie world, but it kinda annoys readers…

**xsummerbabyx** – Thanks. I had a lot of fun on my trip…I'm glad you think I write like Ann Brashares, and I'm glad you like my portrayal of the next summer…I hope she keeps writing them, too!... I try to keep them all in character, I'm glad you think I'm successful! Thanks so much for the review!

**xoXOCutieOXox** – LOL! I'm sorry I have you so distraught! LOL! I didn't think I left a cliffie last chappie…Bee's my fave character, too, and I love the Bee/Eric pairing, so…well…let's just see how it plays out…Hope you like the update!

**kitotterkat- **Thank you!

**Eruca** – Thanks for the review! Hope you like the update!

**Not Just A Princess At Heart – **I'm glad you decided to review! Better late than never, after all, and I'm happy to get any reviews I can! I have 53 reviews, but over 380 hits, so I must have a lot more readers than reviewers…either that, or I have such dedicated readers and such bad update habits that everybody re-reads my chappies in the mean time…or maybe a bit of both : ) LOL! Anyway, I'm glad that _you _decided to review! Reviews make my day! So I didn't _exactly_ hurry back to update, but I'll hope you'll forgive me. Enjoy (and hopefully review!) this chappie!

**Anonymous-yn** – Thanks for reviewing! I'm glad you love it so much, and I'm flattered you think it's one of the best! I'm so thrilled you think I write like Ann Brashares – I try my best! I hope you enjoy this chapter! Thanks again for the great review!

**private** - So glad you think I'm progressing well! I hope you continue to think so! And don't worry…the fluff _will _be brought…eventually

**ElleloveMax85** – I'm glad you love the fic so far. Unfortunately, I have a hard time writing both Carmen and Tibby (for some weird reason I simply cannot fathom). However, I have been getting quite a few requests for both of them, Carmen especially, so I'll do what I can…I have this idea that just might work out for Carmen's plot line…We'll see…Hope you enjoy! Thanks again for the review!

**Riza-4789** – I'm glad you like this chapter! I can't say I'm a huge fan of Billy, myself…At least, not as much as I used to be. I like Eric lots more! I love the Eric/Bee pairing! But Billy _was_ (sort of) there for her, and he was a big part of her childhood, so I think Bee will always have a bit of a soft spot for him. Your friends are Eric-bashers? Sad! I love that guy! If he wasn't totally fictional, I'd swoon! LOL! Thanks again for the great review!

**avra5** – Thanks! It's definitely a wonderful feeling to be done for the summer! I'm glad you think my chapter was better than the one before it. That's always a good thing! And as for the Win and Brian thing…Good point. I actually really like those characters…I've just, um, continuously forgotten to write them in…LOL. Sorry about that! Kinda sad, when you think about it! Yes, they most definitely will come into play! I adore fluff, too – expect to see some, like I said before!

**iluvgerardbutler** – I'm glad you liked this chapter! Billy does seem to add a nice extra element to the plot, doesn't he? I'm pretty happy with his appearance. But then again, of course I would be… And your review finally spurred me on to rent The Phantom of the Opera. It was really good – but kinda morbid and depressing at the same time. The Phantom had some real issues. But he definitely seemed like he'd be hot. Without the burns, I mean. And those songs are STILL stuck in my head! (_The Phaaaaan-tom of the Op-er-a is here, inside my mind…_) LOL! Thanks again for the review!

**spacegrace** – Maybe…but then again, maybe Lena is through with him…be patient…I'm not _trying _to be evil by not saying anything, but…either way, it's more fun to find out by reading the actual story, don't you think?

**dancerrdw** - Thanks, I had a great time on vacation! Here's the next update, I hope you enjoy it! Please keep reading and reviewing! Thanks for the review.

**JesskaLovesYou** – Yeah, drama is right. Lena's mostly fine. Well, for right now, that is. But I'm not making any promises as to her mental/emotional/etc. state in the future. I'm glad you liked the last chappie so much. I've actually heard from a couple people that I did a much better job on 'Life As We Know It' than on previous chapters. I was wondering, what was better about 'Life' than the others? Length? Dialogue? Events? Characters? Anything specific? If you could let me know, I would really appreciate it. That way, I can keep improving my chapters. Thanks again for the review!

* * *

CHAPTER 5 OR 6: SPINNING OUT

"Focus on the distance and you fall

Deep inside of all the memories

You choose not to recall."

-Yellowcard, _"Millenium Changed"_

* * *

Bridget pounded along the same path that Eric used to lead his six-mile runs on three years before. A lot had happened since then. But for Bridget, nothing could be more comforting than running along the same trail. She liked change, certainly, but the small things that remained the same provided her with an overwhelming reassurance. And even though Bridget made a concerted effort to never be one of those desperate, clingy people, it was nice to know there was something to hang onto. You know, just in case.

"So, how exactly do you know Billy Kline?" Eric was seeking clarification, Bridget knew. The awkwardness that had hung in the air, suspended between Bridget and Billy, obviously didn't come from just soccer games. A feeling existed, somewhere between them that was more than platonic. What Eric wanted to know was whether or not that feeling went one-way. Especially now that it was evident that Bee would be spending a considerable amount of time with him this summer.

"I've known Billy since I was four, maybe even before then. I played soccer with him for years. But when I was seven or eight, my dad and my grandmother started having very different opinions about my mother's…" Bridget paused to search for a word, "Treatment," she finished carefully.

Eric nodded. He knew all about Marly, all the nitty-gritty things that still bothered Bee. Things that popped up through the course of any ordinary day, but still struck a painful chord in her. Some things Bridget didn't even like to talk about with Carmen and Tibby and Lena. She thought it was easier, sometimes, to talk to people who never knew Marly, never saw her in _that_ state. The Marly that Eric knew of was a complex hodge-podge of all the things Bridget loved to remember, as well as a lot of things she would love to forget. And as much as Bee loved her three best friends, bringing up some of the private, dark moments felt like casting a stain on the Marly they could all remember with happiness.

With Marly's role in this particular story complete, Bee continued with her explanation. "I didn't see Billy again until I was sixteen. Things were different then." Eric's brows furrowed in thought. Bridget caught a glimpse of his expression. "No, no, no," she was quick to set it straight, "Not like _that_. I mean that _I _was different. It's a…" she sighed, "It's a long story. But I wasn't like I was that first summer (Eric had already come to understand that Bee measured her life in summers, and sub-categorically - but more emphatically - by the summer she wore the Pants), and I wasn't like I am now. It was sort of a transitional summer, if that makes any sense at all."

He nodded again, so she continued, "Basically, nothing happened. He wasn't even interested for the first six or seven weeks." Eric made a subtle, disbelieving sound. "He wasn't," she insisted.

"But I was interested him," Bridget admitted. She always made a point to be straightforward, particularly with people she cared about. People like Eric. She consulted her running watch. Nineteen minutes and forty-three seconds coming out of the third mile. Bridget calculated that this put them at just a little over six and a half minutes a mile. In this heat, she didn't think it was healthy for her to keep going like this too much longer. "Not in a really big way, nothing serious, more like a crush. Later, at the very end of the summer, he was interested, too. But it was one of those too-little-too-late kinds of things. There was one kiss, literally just before I got on the bus for D.C."

"That's all?" Eric asked, seeming slightly skeptical.

Bridget looked over at him. "That's all," she assured him. He looked relieved. "Why?" Bridget inquired impishly, "Were you jealous?"

"I don't know if I would call it 'jealous'…"

"Oh, my god!" Bridget exclaimed, reading his expression. "You were!"

"Maybe a little…" Eric swerved to the side, bumping playfully into Bridget.

It barely knocked her stride, but it was fun to act like it did anyway. "Hey!" She lurched out in front of him in lighthearted retaliation and, grinning flirtatiously, stopped abruptly in his path. He was forced to halt immediately to avoid hitting her. His effort was futile, and when he rammed into her they both toppled onto the sand, laughing.

* * *

"Hey, this is Carmen's cell. I'm off doing…something. So just leave a message, and I'll get back to you. Well, probably." _Beep._

"Carmen! Hey, it's Bee! Ignore all of my last letters. I mean, yeah, Billy's here, but why should that change anything? So, I think everything's going to be okay. But did I tell you that he's my assistant coach? I really think I'm cursed when it comes to these soccer camps. Anyway, call me…" _Beep. _MESSAGE RECORDED AT: 5:41 PM

"Hey, this is Carmen's cell. I'm off doing…something. So just leave a message, and I'll get back to you. Well, probably." _Beep._

"Yeah. Carmen, it's me again. Actually, it's kind of impossible for you to call me here, because my cell can't seem to get a signal. So, I'll call you. I miss you guys! By the way, have you heard from Lena yet? And why isn't your cell ever on? Well, I gotta go. I'll try again later. Love ya!" _Beep. _MESSAGE RECORDED AT: 5:43 PM

* * *

Lena was restless. It had only been a week, yet she was already bored. She tried to remember what she had done the first summer she had come here. Oh, yeah. It had been different then. Then there had been K-No! She wouldn't think about him. Yet, he was invading her mind every waking moment.

_Think of Paul. Think of Paul. Think of Paul._ She recited determinedly in her mind, repeating it like a mantra. She had hope with him, she knew, though she hadn't done anything about it. Yet. But she did have it on good authority from Carmen that he was still single, and had been almost continuously since the time of Skeletor that first summer. Paul was…different. He was a welcome change, especially after Ko- Damn! There he was again. There really was no escape from him, not even in Lena's own mind.

Now, what else had she done? That was a better, safer thing to think about. Well…she had drawn and painted a lot. But that was no good anymore. She had no control over that, either. _He_ kept popping up again. Either that, or nothing would flow. It just wouldn't. There was no connection between her eyes and her soul and her hand anymore. Her brain had taken over, and it was on overdrive, dwelling on things Lena didn't want to think about.

Her drawings, when they did come, had no heart. They were just there. The object, the person, appeared, of course, but no more than that. Last summer, she had been able to delve deeply into her subject and find emotion, even if it was inanimate. Now, they were just flat. There was no fourth dimension of feeling, nothing artistic about them.

Maybe her emotions were broken. Lena wasn't a doctor, least of all a psychiatrist, but this self-assessment sounded about right.

* * *

_Dear Tibby,_

_I don't what is wrong with me. I just don't feel like myself. And no, it's not because of HIM. I haven't seen HIM at all. I don't know if that's a good or bad thing. It's odd, being here without Bapi. I ate my Cheerios alone this morning. Sometimes I get the feeling that everyone here is looking at me, all at once, and judging me. This is irrational, I know. But still, I wish I had some of your independence and self-awareness. _

_Lots of Love,_

_Lena _

* * *

Carmen fingered the worn denim of the Pants one last time before sliding a letter into the back pocket and sealing them into the Jiffy bag. She scrawled the address of the soccer camp onto the package. She knew she had kept them a bit too long, she realized guiltily. She was hoping something – anything – would happen to her in them. So far, this summer was pretty bland. With a sigh, Carmen resolved to take the Pants to the post office to express them to Bee just as soon as Ryan woke up from his nap.

For now, she would relax on the couch, and maybe catch another episode of _Beauty & Brawn. _A soap opera break was a rarity for Carmen, as she had agreed to watch Ryan while Christina worked a part-time shift at the law firm. Looking after her little brother had been a bit more than she had bargained for. Sure, she had experience babysitting little kids, but never as young as Ryan or at such lengths.

Right now, though, he was blessedly asleep, down for his afternoon nap. Carmen flopped on the couch thankfully, and switched on the TV. As soon as the opening titles had played, though, Little Ryan squealed loudly into the baby monitor, alerting Carmen of his awakening. She froze, hoping he would just roll over and go back to sleep. He let out another cry. Okay, so maybe he wouldn't be going back to sleep. Reluctantly, Carmen rose and turned off the TV. _This boy is going to run me ragged_, she thought to herself as she tossed the remote on the couch on her way to Ryan's room.

Yes, it was Ryan's room now. Sometimes, though, Carmen still entered it expecting to see her white double bed and her dresser and the walls, and would be almost surprised to see the blue walls and Ryan's crib and changing table. It was so different. To Carmen, it felt almost like a culmination of all the changes that had occurred since her graduation the year before. Even the things that seemed so permanent – like the stupid unicorn window decals – had changed. Somehow, David had gotten them off the windowpane. But he was still working on the big, bright butterfly stickers Carmen's seven-year-old self had affixed to the door years before. She smiled whenever she saw those obnoxious butterflies, clashing so marvelously with the pastel blue walls and infant-style baseball theme. There was no way those things were coming off. Carmen had certainly left her mark on the room.

Ryan had pulled himself to his feet (this was his latest trick) with the bars of his crib, which his little fists still grasped tightly for balance and support. He cooed and smiled when he saw Carmen, and she forgot her annoyance at missing her show. She was a sucker for her baby brother. "Do you wanna do something, buddy?" Carmen asked him as she lifted him out of the crib and onto the changing table.

"Ga!" The ten-month-old replied enthusiastically. He made those kinds of experimental sounds all the time.

"I'll take that as a yes," Carmen said pleasantly as she put a fresh diaper on him. "Hey, I have an idea."

"Ga!"

"Let's give your godmother a call. We can all go to the park!"

"Ga!"

"Okay, then! It's settled!" Carmen said heartily, as if the two of them had just come to a mutual decision after a long discussion. "Let's call Tibby over here!"

Carma was glad to be able to hang out with Tibby. She knew Tibby was, too. So far, this summer had been pretty bland. They had sent the package to Bridget, and then headed to the park.

Now, Ryan sat in the sandbox, shoving his hands in the gritty mounds before drawing them back in fascination as Carmen and Tibby talked about Brian and Win and their respective siblings. Ryan reached over to grab an abandoned plastic shovel, and used it to beat at the sand rhythmically. Carmen thought it was pretty cute until Ryan smacked a little girl on the arm with it. Apparently he didn't have enough motor skills for that particular toy. Ryan gave grunted at Carmen indignantly when she confiscated it, and reached out for it.

"I don't think so, kid," she said, ruffling his hair affectionately. Carmen showed him how to make rounded piles, like a castle, but Ryan had more fun obliterating them. Carmen laughed and reconstructed her crude mound so he could decimate it again with an uncoordinated swipe of his pudgy hand. Ryan put his hands back into the sand and then raised them abruptly, sending some of the tiny grains into the air. He grinned brightly at Carmen and shoved a handful into his mouth.

"Whoa!" Carmen exclaimed, stepping forward immediately. "Not good!" She put her fingers to his mouth to wipe away the sand. She made sure to get it all out of his mouth – an endeavor that included getting Ryan's baby slobber all over her fingers although, strangely, that didn't bother her anymore – before giving him his sipper cup of water to clear out any remaining grains.

"Always something with him, isn't it?" Tibby asked.

"Tell me about it," Carmen said. She turned to her little brother. "Ryan," she cooed at him, "You don't want to eat sand! That's yucky!"

"I'm sorry," a familiar voice said from behind her, "What's yucky?"

Carmen turned around to look over her shoulder. She held a hand over her eyes to block out the sun; it was glaring into her face when she looked up from her squatting position beside Ryan to get a glimpse of the guy towering behind her. "Win!" She grinned at him and rose to her feet. "What're you doing here?"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "I'm on lunch break, and this park is a block away from the hospital." Translation: _I got a break, so I came here hoping you had come with Ryan. _

"Really?" She asked skeptically. He was working at the hospital again as a summer volunteer from 9:30 to 2:45, but he and Carmen still kept running into each other. It was more deliberate (at least for one of them for each occurrence) than it was consequential. She liked that.

"Yes, really," he confirmed, smiling back at her. He sat down on the edge of the sandbox to greet Ryan. "So," Win directed his comment, and most of his attention, towards Carmen, even while he played absently in the sand with the toddler, "Do you want to do something tonight? Go to a movie or something?"

"Can I get a rain check?" Carmen asked, a regretful look on her face. "I'm babysitting Ryan tonight. My mom and David got these tickets to some show, so I said I'd be on Ryan-duty."

"I see."

"But I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you came over," Carmen suggested. "I've finally mastered the subtle art of making grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup, andyou are more than welcome to join Ryan and me."

"I guess I'll see you then," Win said.

Carmen and Tibby left with Ryan shortly after Win returned to the hospital. Carmen passed Ryan to Tibby so she could unlock the car doors, and Tibby balanced the baby on her hip. "You know what?" Tibby said to him contemplatively. "Change isn't such a bad thing after all."

* * *

_Dear Lena,_

_Nothing really happened to me in the Pants, which was a bit of a bummer. But I hope they help you find whatever you're looking for. You don't need any more sense or talent or anything, so I hope they bring you inspiration. Artists are always open to a little extra inspiration, right? And a little luck never hurt anyone. So here's to luck, inspiration, and the Pants!_

_XOXOXOXO,_

_Carmabelle_

* * *

"Hey, Bee!" Diana called across the field. The sun had just set, and the light was going fast. Bridget was juggling a soccer ball in the middle of the field, laughing with Eric, but looked up. "Come on! Hotel Hacienda awaits!"

"Shhhh!" Eric hissed. "Not so loud. They don't exactly encourage coaches to go out and drink."

Bridget raised her eyebrows. "So is that a yes? Or are we going without you?"

"The first scrimmage is tomorrow," Eric reasoned.

"Oh, that's okay," Diana said laughingly, nudging Bridget, "I have it on good authority from Bee, here, that partying makes you play better. Maybe even coach better."

"Is that a fact?" Eric asked amusedly, heading the ball two or three times consecutively before catching it in his hands.

"Wanna find out?" Bee asked boldly, taking the ball from him.

"Or is Bee going to have to find some other single Mexican guy _en la cantina_?" Diana taunted along.

Bee raised her eyebrows challengingly at Eric, before turning to Diana and feigning interest. "How many of the other coaches dance, do you think?"

Diana played along, and put on a thoughtful face. "That's a good question. Let's see…Danny isn't exactly uptight, but he doesn't strike me as the dancing type. Kurt, however…"

"Really? Do you think so?" Bee asked. "He might be a bit of an excessive drinker." She shrugged. "Oh, well. I'm sure I can find some local…"

"Fine. Let's go," Eric acquiesced. He wasn't as inconvenienced as he pretended to be. The girls cheered and Diana tossed him the keys to a camp van. "See you in ten minutes."

"What?" Bee asked as she and Diana ran, laughing, towards their cabin to change, "No bikes?"

They emerged moments later, Diana wearing a halter-top and one of Bee's skirts and Bee wearing form-fitting, layered tank tops and a white skirt of Diana's. Diana pulled back her dreads, but Bridget let her long hair hang loose. Diana had spread the word, and a few other coaches, mostly guys, hopped into the van as they got ready to leave. The ride there was loud and crowded. They had jammed a in a few more people than the van was actually meant to hold, but it was a short ride.

Whoops and hollers burst from the back seat upon arrival. Eric parked the van behind the bar, and Diana and Bee hopped out of the front passenger seat they'd been sharing. Like a circus clown car act, the nine coaches emerged from a van that should probably have only held about six, comfortably. They headed, in one rambunctious pack, into Hotel Hacienda.

Kurt, by far the rowdiest of the group, had tequila in his hand almost as soon as he got through the door. They staked out a table a little ways away from the dancing, and most of the coaches, including Eric, hung around the table and got margaritas or beers from the bar. Diana and Bridget were on the dance floor immediately. Bee had experienced her share of frat and dorm parties – Wriston Quad was full of them – and of course the drinking that came with them, but wasn't really interested her.

She much preferred dancing.

The salsa music pulsed through her body, and she let it carry her away. Once again, all male eyes stayed focused on Bridget – or more specifically, her hair – as she danced, and several guys, in an alcohol-induced passiononly a couple of shotsaway from actual drunkenness, hovered around her. She ignored them all consistently, sticking with Diana.

This was around the time Eric came onto the floor. Bridget obviously desired a partner switch, so Diana willingly took up with a male coach, about whom she felt rather neutral. Bee turned to Eric now, and he danced close to her, blatantly declaring her to be his. Bee's group of unwanted admirers thinned considerably.

It felt nice to be with Eric again. She hadn't actually danced with him like this since the last time they were both here, and it felt a thousand times better under these circumstances than it had before under those other, less virtuous, ones. Now she danced with abandon, only her, the music, and Eric. It was like running, or soccer - movements came to her as she went, and her thoughts lagged behind. They moved closer as they danced; her hands found the bottom of his back, and his rested low on her hips.

Out of the corner of her eye, Bee spotted Billy dancing with Kristin Gaines, Diana's assistant coach. That was odd. She didn't remember seeing him get in the van. Seeing him there let loose an avalanche of memories, random, disturbing snapshots of her life moving rapidly through her brain. The plummet of emotions that was Baja, its aftermath, junior year, the start of her summer in Alabama, and –this was the worst- the terrifying images of her mother sprawled, eerie and unmoving, on the floor of the bedroom. They appeared, seemingly before her eyes, with the jerky, spastic quality of an aged, soundless film reel played off an old projector.

These distressing flashes of her lowest moments lasted only a few seconds, but they were dizzying ones. Or maybe it was the atmosphere. Either way, it caused her to pause for a second. She blinked to clear her mind, and held two fingers to her temple.

"Are you okay?" Eric looked concerned, and Bridget realized how odd her abrupt stop and slightly pained and dazed expressions must have seemed to him.

"Oh," Bridget acknowledged him, before her mind totally caught up to their conversation. It was still, apparently, on overload. "Oh, yeah, I'm fine. I was just kind of lightheaded for a second there." She smiled again, to assure him that she was fine.

He didn't look wholly convinced. "Do you want to take a break for a while?" He asked skeptically.

"Yeah, I think that's probably a good idea," she agreed, and let him guide her off the dance floor.

She returned with Eric to the coaches' table, feeling fine physically, but a little disconcerted. She made her best effort to seem herself or, even better, actually _feel_ more like herself, as they approached. Diana was already sitting there, laughing with staffers (assistant coaches? Or trainers, maybe?) Bee couldn't remember the names of. Eric held a bulbous margarita glass, with a now mostly unsalted rim. She smirked playfully at him as she took it from his grasp to take a sip of his drink. Now he seemed more reassured. This was more normal behavior for Bee.

Beneath the surface, though, Bridget couldn't shake her slightly melancholy feeling, that brief relapse of the former shell of her transitional self, one she thought she had shed and left behind long ago.

* * *

Lena couldn't bring herself to go to the olive grove. She couldn't bring herself to do much of anything, really. Effie had tried to coax Lena out of her shell, but to no avail. Effie herself had been busy. She had been disappointed to find the waiter taken – engaged, actually – but quickly found his younger brother to be just as…friendly, regardless of the fact that he was still a year or two older than she was. Effie had also managed to find an assortment of other local guys, and was rarely seen alone. Effie was good at things like that. Lena, not so much. Of course, Lena was extremely good at chances. Not real ones, but mental ones. Like, she was good at _imagining_ what could possibly happen between her and a guy – say, Paul Rodman – but somehow lost momentum when it came to actually _doing_ something about it. Except when it came to drawing and Kostos. Damn. How come every single thought seemed to eventually lead to _him_?

This had to stop. She absolutely had to do something, to get her mind off of _him_, at the very least.

Today, Lena vowed, she would draw again. She would even go to the olive grove. She was determined. This was something she just _knew_ she had to do to get past HIM. And she would do it…just, later. Right now she just didn't have the energy to get her determination - or the mind set to get her emotions – up and over the gigantic mental barrier separating her from the grove.

Because to go there, again, alone, would be to finally acknowledge that it was all over…

**

* * *

**

"Cammy!" Bridget called across the field. "Get back in that box!" Cammy was a great goalkeeper, but she tended to gravitate a little too far forward.

"And Strand! Pass it off!" Bridget yelled. Kira Strand was a great player, a really phenomenal athlete, with a colossal, intense personality. Bee knew that she had been similar. She almost sympathized with her former coach, Molly, now. But not enough to utilize the same coaching style.

Bridget could practically see Kira rolling her eyes, but the petite, spunkyauburn-haired girlreluctantly passed the ball to a teammate. It didn't seem to matter much, though, because it was never long before Kira got it back. Like now. Oh. Yeah. Go figure. The score went up, 5-1. It looked like Kurt's team was going down again.

Billy was somewhere downfield, near their goal, advising the defense on their layout. She could see him gesturing wildly from where she stood at half-field.

Eric appeared beside her. "So, Coach, how's it look?"

Bridget gave him a sidelong glance before her eyes returned to the field. "Pretty damn good. Brianne has really improved." Brianne was a bit of a case. She had some talent, most all of them did, but hers was uncanny, reminding her almost of Naughton, but not so gawky and uncoordinated. No, with the right coaching, Brianne would go far. She had a lot of dedication, and when she played, she was consistently good, even on her worst 'off' days. At least good enough to measure up to the other players on the field. The good days were remarkable, but she put forth an effort even between them. "It looks like I'm in for another win." Bee had won a scrimmage against Diana two days before.

"Maybe. But you'll be breaking your winning streak sometime around two-thirty on Wednesday," he informed her. This was the time of the scrimmage between their teams.

"We'll see," was all she replied. Kira brought the score up again. At least this time it was a marvelous assist, instead of a single-handed goal.

The ref blew a long blast on the whistle. "Team Three, Las Muchachas Rojas." He called.

"Get used to that sound, Richman," Bee said over her shoulder as she jogged onto the field to join her team. "You'll be hearing it again soon."

He waved it off and watched as she celebrated the victory with the team and then prompted them to shake or slap hands with the other team. She reached Kurt last. He stood a good four or five inches taller than she did, which was saying something. "You've got a pretty good team there, Bridget," Kurt said, shaking hands with her. "It was a good game."

She made a nice reply in the name of good sportsmanship, then ran off to where her team was still basking in their victory. "Yeah!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. "You guys were great!"

The girls were now guzzling Gatorade by the mouthfuls. Billy spoke up. "Cammy, you really need to work on staying a bit farther back in your box. You get too far forward and you'll open yourself up as an easy goal."

"Kay," Cammy agreed amiably between sips.

"In honor ofanother great win, I'll give you guys a by on the conditioning workout I had scheduled for later today." Cheers went up. Bridget was undoubtedly a great coach and an amazing player, but her workouts were brutal. "But tomorrow, I'll be seeing each of you," she looked pointedly around the circle they had formed, "Bright and early for that five-miler we have planned. Yes, Bronwyn," Bridget said, before words could even come out of the curly redhead's opened mouth, "Even you. At 6 AM, by the mower shed." Groans overtook the team. "C'mon, guys," Bee said, "It's not so bad. Every athlete, especially one that plays soccer, has to be a runner first." **((A/N: That's what my track coach tells all the soccer players she tries to recruit for the fall x-country season that interferes with the soccer season. So far, it hasn't really worked on most of them!))** She excused the players, and they left in clumps of twos and threes.

Bridget turned her attention to her assistant. "Um, Billy? Do you have a minute?"

"Yeah, sure." Billy set down the cooler he had been getting ready to carry back up to the kitchens.

"Okay. Um." This was harder than Bee had anticipated. "I was just…I want you to know that…"

"Is something wrong, Bee?" Billy looked at her oddly. He had never known Bridget to be at a loss for words like this.

"Not really. It's just, I thought I should let you know that recently…Well, you could probably tell that…" Damn. He had that hopeful look in his eye. Her resolve crumbled. She just couldn't have this conversation with him. Maybe if he turned around so she wouldn't have to look at him…

"'I could probably tell that' what?" Billy prompted.

"That…that…" Bridget searched for something to say. She noticed Billy's eyes flick from her face to a spot somewhere over her shoulder and to the right before returning to her again. She glanced behind her to see what it was that Billy had glimpsed. Eric was approaching them. She was saved! Bee gave Eric a grin before looking back to Billy.

"I just thought I'd let you know that…that Cammy is doing a lot better! You've done a really great job working with her, and I appreciate it."

"Um. Okay," Billy replied slowly. "Is that…all?"

Eric was standing beside them now. "Yeah, that's it. See you later, Billy."

"See ya." He gave Eric a nod of acknowledgement and picked up the cooler again before heading off to the kitchens.

She sighed and shouldered her large mesh drawstring bag. It held all the necessary coaching stuff, and was standard issue for the coaches. It contained about eight or ten soccer balls (for the pre-game warm-up, of course), a first aid kit, her dry-erase board of the soccer field for illustrating plays, and a few other random things.

Eric took it from her. She smiled her thanks. "So, you're off this Saturday, right?" He asked as they headed up the gradual slope and towards her cabin.

"Richman, are you trying to ask me out?" Bridget grinned playfully at him. "Like, on a date?"

"Something like that." He grinned back. "Actually, I would call it 'planning a date'. Since you're my girlfriend, you're sort of obligated to say yes."

"You're sure optimistic," she teased. "So this would be, what, our _third_ date?"

"Give me a break!" He dropped the bag on the little porch of the girls' cabin. "We live over three hours away! And between soccer and classes and everything else, three 'actual' dates isn't so bad. I spent a lot of time planning the Valentine's Day thing."

"I know," Bridget smiled up at him, now completely sincere. "And it was incredibly sweet of you." She leaned forward to kiss him, and he pulled her close. That particular gesture stretched much longer and became a bit more heated and intense than was originally anticipated, but the change wasn't undesirable. Diana came across them when Bee was against the wall of the cabin, and Eric was standing close, his arms around her waist.

"Diana! Um, hi!" Bridget exclaimed, somewhat embarrassedly, as she and Eric came apart.

"You two make me sick," Diana responded. Her amused look betrayed her words. "Honestly. Show a little restraint! What if it had been Shannon standing here instead of me?"

"I'll see you later, Eric," Bee said as Diana dragged her inside.

"I'll meet you at dinner, Bee," he confirmed.

"Oh, I'm sure you will," Diana said, inserting herself back into the conversation while pulling Bridget all the way back inside. She let the screen door slam shut behind them.

"So have you talked to them?" Diana brought on the inquisition as soon as she was sure Eric was out of earshot.

"Talked to who?"

"Brid-_get_," Diana annunciated the word, frustrated. "You know what I mean. Eric and Billy."

"About what?" Bridget asked, plopping down on her bunk.

Diana rolled her eyes. "About each other."

"I've sort of talked to Eric," Bee said. This was mostly true. Bridget had talked to Eric, but she had left out a lot of the important parts.

"What about Billy?"

Bridget winced visibly. "Not yet. But I will."

"Why haven't you?" Diana asked.

"Because…" Bridget explained faintly, "I'm still…_formulating_." Bridget picked at a cuticle. Her nails were never in as good a shape as Carmen or Lena's. She always had uneven lengths or hangnails or something.

Diana sat down on her knees next to Bee, but at a slight angle. She reached for a clump of Bridget's blond hair, and separated it equally. "What's to formulate? Just talk to them."

Diana's fingers worked nimbly, comfortingly weaving her friend's hair into two perfect French braids. "You have to do it sometime," Diana threw out.

"I will," Bee said, sounding non-committal. "It's not as if I haven't _tried,_" Bridget protested suddenly.The moments passed in silence while Diana kept braiding. She knew Bridget. If there was something going on, she had to let Bee spill of her own volition. She knew something was up now, and her patience was rewarded. Bridget finally let it out. "It's just…I go up to Billy, right?" Diana nodded to encourage Bee to continue. "And then I'll start talking to him, but then – I don't know – I just look at him, and I can't get it out, so I'll talk about something stupid and pointless to avoid it."

"It isn't anything with you and Eric, is it?" Diana ventured casually. "Because the two of you looked like you were doing just fine a mo-"

"No, no," Bee waved it off. "Everything's fine with Eric. More than fine – great, even. That's why I don't understand it. I have recited the 'let's just be friends' speech about a thousand times in the last six years. I've got the thing practically memorized! I don't get it!"

"Maybe it's because you know him so well, you know? He's not just some guy," Diana suggested. She was about halfway through the second braid. "He means something to you. Not in the romantic sense, maybe, but definitely as a friend."

Bridget considered this. "You're probably right," she sighed.

"I remember reading something in my psychology class that basically said that we share strong emotional bonds or connections with people who are close to us when we're young or know us before a traumatizing life experience," Diana elaborated. "It's probably one of the reasons people marry their high school sweethearts, even years later, because of a common past. Or sometimes people share a connection with someone for security. Like, say, if you got in a car accident, and you were paralyzed, you might cling to those people who knew you before it happened for emotional safety."

Bridget shifted uncomfortably, feeling completely transparent. In reality, Diana probably had no idea how accurate she was, but she had pinpointed Bee's issues with stunning precision.

* * *

**A/N: So that's it for this chappie. There are a few things I need to address in this note, so I'll put up headings. Feel free to skip it all, if you want.**

**RE: MY ABSENCE -- This is the part where I fall to my knees and beg for forgiveness. Falls to knees and begs for forgiveness I am so, so, so, so sorry for not updating for…well…a long time. (We don't need to get into the shameful details, do we?) Even though there aren't any really good excuses for it, I've tried to come up with a few acceptable reasons for it. 1) When I was in Florida and Richmond, I didn't have Internet access, so I couldn't update 2) The day after I came back from Richmond, we took my grandma and my great-grandma on a trip to Cour d'Alene, Idaho. After that was NYC for a few days. Guess what? No access there, either. So I'm really, really sorry, and I'll try to update much sooner from now on.**

**RE: Reviews – I was in shock when I checked my inbox after I got back from my vacation(s). I never expected to get so many reviews! I got over twenty on the last chapter alone! Thank you all so much! I will continue to write an individual reply to each, as long as I keep getting reviews. I really hope you didn't all stop reading this between updates…well, you know what to do with that little button on the left! Make my day!**


End file.
